Out of my price range, but. This could be a game changer.
Its a little bit technical, so if you are interested, go read it. But, long story short, they have come up with a new antenna system that is a fraction of the size and weight of a typical radar installation.
Here is the summary.
It accomplishes all this in a package about the size of a couple iPad Minis, weighing a pound and a half, drawing only 35 watts of power. Systems with comparable capabilities might be ten or twenty times bigger and more power-hungry. The only real catch is that the range is shorter than the larger systems — they might see a plane 12km out. But as Echodyne pointed out to me, quadcopters aren’t flying at 300 knots; it’s more important to locate closer, more active threats and obstacles.
At ten grand, you won’t be buying a MESA to mount to your bike, but if you’re Amazon or Uber or anyone looking into commercial applications for drones, it’s more than a little enticing.
So for a small (and for now) expensive package, your drone can see with new eyes.
I’m thinking couple this with some AI and you will have an autonomous drone (either land or air based) with some really compelling (scary?) modes of operation.
